Tubular-shaped and modular air handling unit (ahu) for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (hvac) systems

ABSTRACT

A tubular-shaped and modular air handling unit (AHU) for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is disclosed. In some embodiments, a modular AHU is disclosed that may include a coil module, a fan module, and an electrical module; each of which may be tubular shaped for easily coupling one to another and easily coupling to tubular-shaped (or round or circular) ductwork. Further, in the tubular-shaped and modular AHU, each module may be independent and stand alone, thereby allowing for relatively easy upgrading, replacement, and/or servicing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/260,843, filed Jan. 29, 2019, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/623,011, filed Jan. 29, 2018, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed subject matter relates generally to heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and more particularly to a tubular-shaped and modular air handling unit (AHU) for HVAC systems.

BACKGROUND

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are well known for maintaining environmental conditions within buildings. A typical HVAC installation divides the building into zones and regulates environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, humidity, outdoor/recirculated air ratio, etc.) of each zone to predefined control setpoints. In some HVAC systems, an air distribution system connects each of the zones to a separate air handling unit (AHU) that conditions the air supplied to a particular zone. The air handling unit generally includes elements for introducing outdoor air into the system and for exhausting air from the system. Other elements are provided for heating, cooling, filtering, and otherwise conditioning the air for the zone.

The air handling unit may include a constant volume supply fan or variable volume supply fan to circulate the air within the zone's air distribution ducts at a desired flow rate. Frequently, the AHU-portion of the HVAC system is rectangular and ties into round (i.e., tubular) ductwork. There are certain drawbacks to integrating rectangular-shaped AHUs and round ductwork. In one example, rectangular AHUs can be large and bulky compared to the round ductwork to which they are coupled. In another example, there can be certain efficiency disadvantages with respect to tying rectangular AHUs into round ductwork. Namely, there can be undesirable pressure drops between the AHU and the ductwork.

Another drawback of current AHUs of HVAC systems is that their configuration is substantially fixed and difficult to upgrade when certain requirements (e.g., seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) requirements) change. For example, components of the AHU (e.g., fan, electronics, coils, etc.) are interconnected and difficult to replace or upgrade individually without replacing or otherwise modifying the entire AHU.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, an air handling system is provided that may include a coil module, a fan module, and/or an electronics module, wherein the coil module, fan module, and electronics module may each be configured to be independently installed or removed from the system. The fan module may include a fan that causes air to move through the system. The electronics module may be installed within the fan module or coil module, or may be installed adjacent the fan module and/or coil module. In some embodiments, the coil module may include an evaporator coil arranged adjacent or otherwise proximate to an outer wall of the coil module and capable of conditioning air flowing through the coil module.

In some embodiments, the coil module, fan module, and/or electronics module may be substantially tubular in shape, and further wherein the coil module and fan module have a first diameter. In some embodiments, the diameter may be substantially equal to a diameter of duct work connected to the system, but may optionally be any desired diameter. The coil module, or any other module, may in some embodiments include an outer surface made from a composite material, or made from metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, a rubberized or composite coating may be included on the outer and/or inner surface of the modules as desired to protect against rust and/or other corrosion caused by, for example, moisture or water in the system. The system may also include one or more drains that may be used to allow water to drain out of the system. In some embodiments, the one or more drains may be selectively opened depending on the orientation in which the system is installed. In some embodiments, the one or more drains may include punch outs or some other mechanism for selectively opening what may otherwise be a closed drain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the presently disclosed subject matter in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying Drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of an example of the presently disclosed tubular-shaped and modular AHU for HVAC systems;

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of the tubular-shaped and modular AHU shown in FIG. 1A and wherein the modules are separated;

FIG. 2A illustrates a side view of the tubular-shaped and modular AHU shown in FIG. 1A in relation to tubular-shaped ductwork;

FIG. 2B illustrates a side view of the tubular-shaped and modular AHU shown in FIG. 1A and wherein the ductwork is installed;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the presently disclosed tubular-shaped and modular AHU for HVAC systems oriented vertically;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate an end view and a side view, respectively, of an example of a tubular-shaped coil module of the presently disclosed modular AHU;

FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of an example of a tubular-shaped fan module of the presently disclosed modular AHU; and

FIG. 7 illustrates an end view of an example of a tubular-shaped electrical module of the presently disclosed modular AHU.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The presently disclosed subject matter now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter are shown. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The presently disclosed subject matter may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Indeed, many modifications and other embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated Drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the presently disclosed subject matter is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

In some embodiments, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a tubular-shaped and modular air handling unit (AHU) that may be used in connection with heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, a modular AHU is disclosed that may include a coil module, a fan module, and an electrical module, among others. In some embodiments, each of the coil module, fan module, electrical module, etc. may be substantially tubular shaped for, among other things, easily coupling one to another and/or easily coupling to tubular-shaped (or round or circular) ductwork. Further, because of the modular configuration, the presently disclosed modular AHU may be easily upgradable relative to, for example, conventional AHUs.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, a side view of one example of the presently disclosed tubular-shaped and modular AHU 100 for HVAC systems is presented. In this example, modular AHU 100 may include three modules, but this is exemplary only. Modular AHU 100 may include any number of modules. Namely, in this example, modular AHU 100 may include a coil module 110, a fan module 130, and an electrical module 150; all of which may be tubular shaped for, among other things, easily coupling one to another and/or easily coupling to tubular-shaped ductwork. While FIG. 1A shows coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150 coupled together, FIG. 1B shows coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150 in relation to one another but separated. Further, FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show modular AHU 100 oriented horizontally. However, in another example, modular AHU 100 can be oriented vertically, as shown in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, AHU 100 may be oriented in any other orientation between horizontal and vertical.

In some embodiments, coil module 110 may include a tubular-shaped outer shell 112 that houses an evaporator coil 120 (see, for example, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5). Coil module 110 may also include refrigerant lines 114 feeding through outer shell 112 to evaporator coil 120. Further, coil module 110 may include one or more drains. For example, drains 116 are illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B that may be useful when coil module 110 is oriented horizontally, and drains 118 that may be useful when coil module 110 is oriented vertically. In some embodiments, drains 116 and 118 may both be included in AHU 100, while in other embodiments, either drains 116 or drains 118 may be included. Further still, some embodiments of AHU 100 may include no drains at all.

Fan module 130 may include a tubular-shaped outer shell 132 that houses a fan assembly 134 (see, for example, FIG. 6). Electrical module 150 may include a tubular-shaped outer shell 152 that houses certain electronics (see FIG. 7) for controlling, for example, coil module 110 and/or fan module 130, and interfacing with any other components of the HVAC system (not shown).

In some embodiments, a crimped pipe adaptor 160 may be provided at each end of outer shell 112 of coil module 110, outer shell 132 of fan module 130, and outer shell 152 of electrical module 150. Crimped pipe adaptor may be used, for example, to facilitate interconnection of coil module 110, fan module 130, and/or electrical module 150. Of course, any number of other connection means may be employed to facilitate inter-connection as needed. The crimped pipe adaptor 160 at each end of coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150 may also facilitate easy coupling from one module to another or any module to ductwork. Further, outer shell 112 of coil module 110, outer shell 132 of fan module 130, and outer shell 152 of electrical module 150 may be formed, for example, of aluminum, plastic, composite material, and/or any other suitable material for such systems.

In some embodiments, moisture may form inside AHU 100 through normal use. Accordingly, the inside surface of outer shell 112 of coil module 110, outer shell 132 of fan module 130, and outer shell 152 of electrical module 150 may be lined with, for example, a rubberized coating and/or a composite material lining, among other suitable materials, to resist or prevent corrosion and rust. Other coatings to reduce or prevent corrosion or rust may be utilized as well. Alternatively, in some embodiments, outer shell 112 of coil module 110, outer shell 132 of fan module 130, and outer shell 152 of electrical module 150 may be formed from inherently water resistant materials, such as for example composite material, plastics, and/or any other suitable material.

Each of the modules of modular AHU 100 (e.g., coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150) have a diameter D and a length L. The diameter D of the modules can be from about 14 inches to about 22 inches in one example, or can be from about 5 inches to about 36 inches in another example. In other embodiments, the diameter D of the modules can be of any diameter used in HVAC systems, and will depend on the capacity of the overall system, as is understood by those having skill in the art.

Further, the length L of the modules can vary among the modules, and may in one example include a coil module 110 having a length L of about 33 inches, a fan module 130 having a length L of about 12 inches, and an electrical module 150 having a length L of about 12 inches. In other embodiments, the modules may be substantially the same length L. In some embodiments, coil module 110 may have a length L from about 10 inches to about 50 inches, or in some embodiments 33 inches. In some embodiments, fan module 130 may have a length L from about 5 inches to about 30 inches, and in some embodiments may be about 12 inches to about 14 inches. In some embodiments, electrical module 150 may have a length L from about 5 inches to about 30 inches, or in some embodiments have a length L of about 12 inches. When combined together, the coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150 may have a combined length of about 57 inches in some embodiments. While in some embodiments, the diameter D of each of, for example, coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150 may be substantially the same, the length L of each module can be the same or different. In other embodiments, diameter D of each module may be relatively different.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, a side view is presented of the tubular-shaped and modular AHU 100 shown in FIG. 1A in relation to tubular-shaped ductwork. For example, modular AHU 100 is shown in relation to ductwork 210. Ductwork 210 may be standard tubular-shaped ductwork, also called round ductwork or circular ductwork. FIG. 2B shows the tubular-shaped and modular AHU 100 with ductwork 210 installed at both ends. In some preferred embodiments, the diameter of ductwork 210 may substantially correspond to the diameter D of coil module 110, fan module 130, and electrical module 150.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a side view is presented of the presently disclosed tubular-shaped and modular AHU 100 for use in HVAC systems that may require or otherwise desirably have the AHU 100 mounted substantially vertically. This vertical orientation may be useful, fur example, for installing modular AHU 100 in certain small spaces, such as in a closet.

Referring now to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, an end view and a side view, respectively, is presented of an example of a tubular-shaped coil module 110 of the presently disclosed modular AHU 100. FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment where a hollow core 105 may run through the entirety of modular AHU 100. Hollow core 105 may be the airflow path through modular AHU 100, wherein the direction of airflow may be, for example, from electrical module 150 to fan module 130 and then to coil module 110. Further, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 also show an exemplary arrangement wherein evaporator coil 120 may loop substantially along the inside surface of outer shell 112.

As depicted in FIG. 4, coil module 110 may be oriented horizontally wherein a lower portion of the outer shell 112 itself can serve as a catch pan to collect moisture that may condense out of the air flowing through in the system. In that circumstance, drains 116 may be useful for draining the catch pan of coil module 110. Alternatively, in certain other embodiments, coil module 110 may be oriented vertically as shown for example in FIG. 5. In such embodiments, a lip 122 may be provided around the lower edge of outer shell 112 to form a catch pan 124. In such an arrangement, drains 118 may be useful for draining catch pan 124 of coil module 110. In some embodiments, drains are included only in the coil module, while in other embodiments, drains may optionally be included anywhere in the system as needed to allow water to flow out of the system, depending on the orientation of the system. This may include, in some embodiments, having drains in one or more of the coil module, electronics module, and/or fan module.

Referring now to FIG. 6, an end view is presented of an example of a tubular-shaped fan module 130 of the presently disclosed modular AHU 100. FIG. 6 shows the fan assembly 134 inside outer shell 132 of fan module 130. Fan assembly 134 may include a fan motor 136 driving an arrangement of fan blades 138. Fan motor 136 and fan blades 138 may be supported inside outer shell 132 by multiple fan supports 140. In some embodiments, fan motor 136 may be a constant speed motor, or alternatively may be a variable speed motor. Fan assembly 134 may be controlled by any desirable means, including electronics within the fan module 130, or from electronics housed in electronics module 150. Fan module 130 and electrical module 150 may include circuitry and/or wiring as necessary to facilitate any desired electrical interconnection between the two.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an end view is presented of an example of a tubular-shaped electrical module 150 of the presently disclosed modular AHU 100. Electrical module 150 may house certain electronics for controlling coil module 110 and/or fan module 130 and interfacing with any other components of the HVAC system (not shown). In one example, one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) 154 can be installed inside outer shell 152. The one or more PCBs 154 can support any electronic components required to support the functions of the presently disclosed modular AHU 100. In one example, the PCBs 154 can be mounted on standoffs in any locations so long as airflow is not undesirably impeded.

Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” refer to “one or more” when used in this application, including the claims. Thus, for example, reference to “a subject” includes a plurality of subjects, unless the context clearly is to the contrary (e.g., a plurality of subjects), and so forth.

Throughout this specification and the claims, the terms “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” are used in a non-exclusive sense, except where the context requires otherwise. Likewise, the term “include” and its grammatical variants are intended to be non-limiting, such that recitation of items in a list is not to the exclusion of other like items that can be substituted or added to the listed items.

For the purposes of this specification and appended claims, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, sizes, dimensions, proportions, shapes, formulations, parameters, percentages, quantities, characteristics, and other numerical values used in the specification and claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill in the art depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter. For example, the term “about,” when referring to a value can be meant to encompass variations of, in some embodiments, ±100% in some embodiments ±50%, in some embodiments ±20%, in some embodiments ±10%, in some embodiments ±5%, in some embodiments ±1%, in some embodiments ±0.5%, and in some embodiments ±0.1% from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate to perform the disclosed methods or employ the disclosed compositions.

Further, the term “about” when used in connection with one or more numbers or numerical ranges, should be understood to refer to all such numbers, including all numbers in a range and modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers, e.g., whole integers, including fractions thereof, subsumed within that range (for example, the recitation of 1 to 5 includes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as fractions thereof, e.g., 1.5, 2.25, 3.75, 4.1, and the like) and any range within that range.

Although the foregoing subject matter has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that certain changes and modifications can be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. 

That which is claimed:
 1. An air handling system comprising a coil module and a fan module, wherein the coil module and fan module each comprise a tubular shape having a first inner diameter extending to an interior portion of an exterior wall of the system, wherein the fan module comprises a fan disposed along the first inner diameter, wherein the coil module comprises an evaporator coil disposed along the interior portion of the exterior wall about the entire circumference of the module for conditioning air flowing through the coil module and further wherein each of the coil module and fan module, along with each module's respective exterior wall, are each configured to be independently installed or removed from the system as a single respective unit.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronics module.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronics module is installed within the fan module or the coil module.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronics module comprises a tubular shape having the first diameter extending to an interior portion of an exterior wall of the system.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first diameter corresponds to a diameter of duct work connected to the system.
 6. The system of claim 4 wherein the electronics module is configured to be installed adjacent the fan module.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the coil module comprises a composite material.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interior portion of the coil module comprises a water-resistant coating.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the water-resistant coating is a rubberized coating.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the water-resistant coating is a composite material.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more selectively openable drains.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more selectively openable drains are selectively opened during installation depending on an installation orientation of the system.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be selectively installed both horizontally and vertically.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be selectively installed in any orientation between horizontal and vertical. 